Self locking valve tappet



March 12, 1935. c. E. JOHNSON SELF LOCKING VALVE TAPPET Filed Aug. 39, 1932 may;

Patented Mar. 12, 1935 Y i 3 wer I a 7 1.993996 i V v SELF IiOGKING VALVE TAPPET "Charles Johnson, ma ea an, Application .Aiugust 30, 1932; Serial No. 631 057 7 V "1 Claim. (01. t1.51 31)j t V g This invention-relates to valve tappets and is re'mo'yed with the elimination of the lock hut sedirected-to a particularly simple and practical curing-means previously used. tappetjwhich-may-be adjusted longitudinally and -It is a primary 'okijectand'fpurposeof the-preswhich is self-retained in any position to which eiit invention toprovide-a' simple-self contained 55 itmay-beadj-usted againstmoveme'ntoi the parts {structure of yalve tappet substantially 'self lockof the tappetwith respectt'oeachother, so that ing at any position to which it is adjusted and thecommonand usual lo'ck-nut securing andlccksufiicier'itly locking that the partsfoi the 'tappet in'g meanspreviously used'in valve tappets,-which will not move relatively to "each'otherunder 'any are mechanically adjusted-may be dispensed of the-conditions o'f service to which the tappe :10 with. All ofthedetrimental'efiectsof utilizing is-subjected when 'usedwith an'eng'in'e;

ducedwhich "is quickly'and easily a'd-juste'd, revation illustratingthe'use andapplicationofthe a *locknut are'elimin'ated'such asanydis'tortion An un'der'sta'ndingof the invention'may be had an'd'c'hange in adjustment of the tappet with refromthe following-description,taken incormecspectto the valve stem of the-valve-with whichit *tionwith the-accompanying drawing, in which,

isassociatedand an adjustable valve tappe't prcr- Fig; l is a fragmentary section and side ele- "mains in adjusted position, and the adjustment valvetappet of my invention toan internal'com-H is accomplished without troubling ordis'turbing bus'tion engine. 7 a

the *same after it has :OIICG been "accomplished. a {Fig '2 is a fragmentary enlarged central verti- Valve tappe'ta'wliich lift the valves of "internal =calsection th'roughthe upperend portion-of the combustion engines and which are disposed {b'evalve tappet, the upper member of the ta'pp'et 20 tweenthe valve'stems 'andthe cam shafts of such =be'ing shown in elevation; fengines, require adjustment 'from'time to time Fig. 3 isan-enlarged fragmentary 'ceritralyeras the valves or 'valveseatsbecome'wornor are ticalsection through both parts o'f the yalve tapground periodically. I The adjustment is done .pet.

5 whenthe engine is'relatively-cool, and 'by reason Fig. 4 :is a horizontal:sectionron'the .iplaneso'f of the fact that the'tappet will expand length- :line i -4'01 Fig. 3, and V wiseIwhentheengine becomes hot, it is necessary 7 Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary vertical secint'ne adjustment'to-space theupper'end *of'the ltions illustrating-other form's onembodiments of tappet a short'distancefrom thelower end oiith'e the .invention, the preferred .form being shown valve stem in order that on longitudinal "expanin Figs. T2,.3'and 4. a

sion of the tappe't, and also of the valvestemjthe Like reference characters refer :to like .parts 'valve "will not be lifted irom'its "seat a, small infthe different figures oi the drawing. *amount of 'thetimes when it should-be "firmlyen- The tappetcomprisesa lower member including gaged against its seat. Thin feeler gauges are ja verticalsubstantiallycylindricalbddyjl, having 5 used for this purposeand'interposedbetweenthe a head 2jat its lower end provided with a hori- '35 upper-end-of-the tappetand the lower end'of the zon'tal hardened under surface to ride against a valve stem and the valve tappet adjusted with cam 3 on'thecam shaft' e' of ,an'internal combusrespectto'said-gauge. a r tion engine. Near the upperend 'ofgthebody H With-myinvention the adjustment'oi'thevalve the opposite sides 'thereofiarefiatt'ened, as inditappet, when onceaccomplished, requires nothcated at '6, in "order that'the jawso'f a'jwrench 40 ing fu'rther in the wayof locking or securing its may be'engaged-with hold the lowenme'rn- Y "par'tsagains't-change of position, =as has b'een'reibe'r'dfthetappet against anyidta'tive movement quired before in manually or mechanically adduring the assembly "of the parts or 'the'ad'jus'tjusted-tappets,and'the-usual lock nut previously merit afterins'tallationin 'the motor. 'Theupper used for such locking purpose is entirely done end portion of the body 1 is interiorly bored and 45 away with. The use of a lock nut disturbs the threaded as indicated at 5. adjustment in many instances, or if it is not-se- An upper member for the tappet consists of a curely set, the valve tappet is quite liable to get stem (extending below and integral with a head out of adjustment due to loosening of the lock 8 which is enlarged and formed that a wrench nut. The problem of properly adjusting the valve may be readily applied thereto. The stem 7 50 tappets of a multiple cylinder engine is one which at its lower part for nearly its full length is exhas heretofore required very high skill. With my teriorly threaded, providing a threaded section 9. invention the adjustment is accomplished very This section 9 is interiorly bored from its lower readily and easily and the danger of upsetting end upwardly for a distance, as indicated at 10,

the adjustment which has been made is entirely and the walls surrounding the opening or recess 55 .tapers upwardly as indicated at 10a.

10 are slotted at a plurality of points to make slots 11, four of which are shown though the number may be varied.

Within the cylindrical opening 10 in the lower end of the upper tappet member a coiled spring 12 is inserted. This spring has its coils closely contacting and the exterior diameter of the coils is slightly greater than the interior diameter of the cylindrical recess 10. In practice I have found that with a light spring having an exterior diameter greater by five-thousandths of an inch than the interior diameter of the cylindrical opening or recess 10 very satisfactory results are attained.

If the spring is of a heavier or stiffer form the excess of its exterior diameter over the interior diameter of the recess 10 should be reduced. The coiled spring is not to be stiff and too unyielding but rather should be of a light and comparatively readily yielding nature.

With the continuous coiled spring 12 located in the recess 10, the threaded section 9 of the upper tappet member may be screwed into the interiorly threaded opening 5 .of the body 1. The parts between the slots 11 of the threaded section 9 are forced inwardly against the spring 12 and each coil of the spring must be compressed inwardly because of the larger exterior diameter of the spring coils. Such inward compression of the various coils is heavily resisted by said coils with the result that the sections of the threaded part 9 between the slots 11 are held outwardly with considerable force and pressure against the interiorly threaded recess 5 of the body 1, and

the movement inwardly or outwardly of the upper member of the tappet is accomplished only by the exertion of a considerable force upon a wrench supplied to the head 7, it being understood that another wrench supplied to the opposite flattened side 6 of the body 1 is used to hold the body against turning.

The maximum of the resisting force of the coil spring 12 comes after the spring is entirely housed below the upper end of the body 1. This resistance to turning movement insures that after the parts have once. become adjusted with respect to each other, they will not accidentally or othe wise change their relative adjusted positions under any of the effects of service in an internal combustion engine; but on the application of wrenches and the securingof the necessaryleverage the tappet parts may be longitudinally adjusted when necessary.

In Fig. 5, below the interiorly threaded recess 5 in a body 1, a plain recess 5a is made and the cylindrical opening or recess 10 in the threaded stem portion 9 is enlarged at its'lower end and A coiled compression spring 13 seats in the recess 5a and a tapered plug 14 at the upper end of said spring enters into and engages the tapered sides 10a so as to spread the slotted lower end portion of the threaded part 9 and provide a secure engagement of the two parts of the tappet which resists any tendency of the same to change position with respect to each other.

In Fig. 6 the construction is the same as in Fig. 5 except that instead of the tapered plug 14 being used a coiled spring 15, like the spring 14 at its lower part, at its upper end has its coils ground away to provide an upwardly tapering spring section 16 to enter the tapered lower end 10a of the recess 10. This construction would be preferred over that shown in Fig. 5 and with it the same automatic locking of the two parts of the tappet with respect to each other is attained.

In Fig. 7 the construction of the tappet parts is the same as that disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3. The coiled spring 12 is replaced by a rod 17, the lower end of which bears against the lower end of the threaded recess 5 while its upper portion is divided and the parts 18 spread outwardly to engage against and spread apart the sections between the slots 11 of the upper tappet member. With the screwing of the upper tappet member into the threaded recess 5, the spaced apart sections 18 are forced more and more into the cylindrical recess 10 causing a tighter binding effect between the two adjustable parts of the tappet.

' The construction disclosed is of a simple nature, economical to manufacture, very quickly and easily assembled, and exceptionally easy to adjust after it has been installed inan internal combustion engine. It is of course understood that the upper end of the upper member of the tappet has the lower end of a valve stem 19 (Fig.1) normally engaged thereagainst, the valve (not shown) being held on its seat except when lifted by the rotation of the cam shaft by heavy coil compression spring 20. The adjustment of the inner member of the tappet toward or away from the lower end of the valve stem 19 and the very slight spacing between the two parts when the tappet is adjusted, with the engine cold or at least colder than it is during running conditions, is simply and easily accomplished by engaging two wrenches with the head 8 and the sides 6 and performing the adjustment to a desired degree, after which nothing further needs to be done.

The invention is defined in the appended claim and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim: 1 a

A mechanism comprising, two members in axial alinement having a longitudinally threaded adjustment with respect to each other, one of said members threading into a longitudinal opening in the other and at its inner end being provided with an axial longitudinal recess of substantially uniform diameter and having longitudinal slots extending from said recess outwardly to the outer sides of said member, and a coiled spring having a plurality of coils located closely together received in said recess, the exterior diameter of the spring being slightly greater than the interior diameter of the recess in which it is located.

CHARLES E. JOHNSON. 

